VERSE 57. It was portrayed as a center of athletic and intellectual life. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. the Torah. He will make a firm covenant with many for one week. [20], During the Crusades, Pope Urban II and other church leaders used 1 Maccabees 2 to justify the concept of holy war against the Muslim kingdoms controlling the holy city of Jerusalem. [63], The Jewish historian Josephus of the 1st century AD almost certainly read 1 Maccabees. This is a terrible punishment. 1 and 2 Maccabees are set during the reign of the Seleucid Greek empire (the part of the Greek empire that found its roots in Syria). This might mean the women were forcibly tattooed. Chapter 16. (2) 1 Maccabees 1:11-16:24: History of the Jews from 175 to 135 BC. The origin of the word maccabee is unclear; it may derive from the Hebrew word maqqabi (= hammer)a reference to Judas physical strength and exploits. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The name Maccabee probably means "hammer" and was the nickname given in the book to the first leader of the revolt, Judas, third son of Mattathias. It includes such fundamental texts as that which states that God created all thingsex nihilo, out of nothing, not out of things which existed (7:28), and those which make it clear that the sacrifice of martyrs is a voluntary form of atonement which placates Gods anger (7:36, 8:5). The First Book of Maccabees also gives a list of Jewish colonies scattered elsewhere through the Mediterranean at the time.[25]. 1 Maccabees,[note 1] also known as the First Book of Maccabees, First Maccabees, and abbreviated as 1 Macc., is a deuterocanonical book which details the history of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire as well as the founding and earliest history of the independent Hasmonean kingdom. a place of exercise. This is alluded to in two other passages: Daniel 9:27. 3He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. Simon follows Jonathan as the next Jewish leader "in place of Judas and your brother Jonathan",[34] taking on civil, military and liturgical roles: "great high priest, governor, and leader of the Jews". With the advent of the printing press that obviated the need for scribes to manually and repeatedly copy such works, 1 Maccabees became more widely available. VERSE 5. The persecution of Antiochus IV presumably radicalized the Jews. Antiochus persecutes the Jewish people. two main dynasties established themselves in the territories of his huge empirethe Ptolemies, who controlled Egypt and also Palestine up to 200 B.C. It is considered one of the most accurate accounts of Jewish history for the period which it covers. 1 Maccabees. He also requires Jewish leaders to sacrifice to idols. This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 19:13. A supporter of the Hasmonean dynasty. [14][15] Various reconstructions have been proposed: Gustaf Dalman, meanwhile, suggests that the title is a corruption of the Aramaic "The Book of the House of the Hasmoneans". Talk about how this story might have inspired the Jews of Jesus day in the light of their oppression by the Romans. 1 a After Alexander the Macedonian, Philip's son, who came from the land of Kittim, * had defeated Darius, king of the Persians and Medes, he became king in his place, having first ruled in Greece. Naturally, any account of the war of liberation led by Judas Maccabeus would have this effect and would show that victory was due to Gods powerful aid (2:19-22). III Maccabees has no relation to the other three books of Maccabees, all of which deal with the revolt of Judaea against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He then calls forth the people to holy war against the Gentiles and their Jewish collaborators. This caused the Maccabean revolt, led by Mattathias and his sons. 1 and 2 Maccabees are set during the reign of the Seleucid Greek empire (the part of the Greek empire that found its roots in Syria). As noted above, if ancient manuscripts of the hypothesized original Hebrew version existed, they have been lost. VERSE 41. Even in stories set during the Maccabean period, references to Judas by name were explicitly removed to avoid hero-worship of the Hasmonean line. This work no longer exists, but is the basis for 2 Maccabees.) In general, its chronology coheres with that of I Maccabees. The Greek text is extant in two of the three oldest codices of the Greek Septuagint: the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus. The book also comes across as dismissive of martyrdom and passive approaches to resistance, seeing such gestures as futile and pointless. In an effort to enforce unity, he attempts to suppress the public observance of Jewish religious laws. This book also tells us more about atonement beyond the grave by asserting the existence of purgatory (12:38ff). Series: The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries. This was a mighty defeat for Egypt. And he had five sons, John, who was surnamed Gaddis; VERSE 3. Rather, the book refers to "heaven" (ourans) instead, such as Judas saying in a speech that "It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but strength comes from Heaven. 4:59). The rebellion began under the leadership of the Jewish priest Mattathias after Antiochus sought to stamp out Judaism by forbidding all Jewish practices and desecrating the temple (167 bc). I Maccabees presents a historical account of political, military, and diplomatic events from the time of Judaeas relationship with Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria (reigned 175164/163 bce) to the death (135/134 bce) of Simon Maccabeus, high priest in Jerusalem. In 285 he abdicated in favor of his son Ptolemy II, who became involved in a struggle with the Seleucid kings. VERSE 7. The other Jews then reason that, when attacked, they must fight even on the holy day. 2 Maccabees, curiously, says nothing about thisdespite its . For more details about the Maccabees family and battles with the Greeks, please read 1 Maccabees. On the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate; and even to the full end, and that determined, wrath will be poured out on the desolate. The author seeks to promote the view that the Hasmoneans were indeed God's new chosen and would-be rulers in line with heroes of the Hebrew Bible. Among other effects, this discouraged the Jewish rite of circumcision even further, which had already been officially forbidden; a man's state could not be concealed in the gymnasium, where men trained and socialized in the nude. They establish a gymnasium, where men socialized in the nude. First Maccabees was written about 100 B.C., in Hebrew, but the original has not come down to us. Look out for what you might learn about the Judaism of the period from the story. The sacred writers purpose is to build up the morale of the Jews. And he called his servants, which were honorable, which had been brought up with him from his youth, and he divided to them his kingdom, while he was yet alive. The narrative is primarily prose text, but is interrupted by seven poetic sections, which imitate classical Hebrew poetry. The author propagates "Hasmonean propaganda" in the sense of upholding the righteousness of the Hasmoneans and their just claim to rule the Hasmonean kingdom. However, 1 Maccabees also insists that there were many Jews who sought out or welcomed the introduction of Greek culture. VERSE 25. The later Jewish historian Josephus most likely used some form of this text in writing his account of the Maccabean revolt. An unknown editor, the "Epitomist," used the factual notes of a historian . each should forsake his own laws. 1 Kings. IV Maccabees has scanty historical information and belongs to the Maccabees series only because it deals with the beginning of the persecution of Jews by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. When Mattathias died (c. 166 bc), his son Judas Maccabaeus recaptured Jerusalem and reconsecrated the temple, an event celebrated in the holiday Hanukkah. The book of Tobit tells the story of Tobit and his family, who are living as exiles from Israel after the Assyrian conquest. Book of Daniel. They are in the Public Domain. The king will require Jews to reject their Covenant with the One God. 1:9 And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth. The Septuagint was preserved by early Christians as the basis for the Christian Old Testament. VERSE 33. In February 135, however, he is assassinated at the instigation of his son-in-law Ptolemy. It was probably written sometime in the second century bc, in other words very shortly after the events it described. It possibly was written during the reign of the Roman emperor Caligula (3741 ce). The author was an enthusiastic a supporter of the Maccabees who shows little sympathy with either their Jewish or Greek opponents. 1 Maccabees follows this story until the death of Simon (the third son of Mattathias to rule over Israel) at the hands of the some Egyptian Greeks (from about 175-134 bc). Their faith in the resurrection, which they explicitly assert (v. 11), gives them the courage to undergo terrible sufferings to keep the holy Law of God, sufferings in which they are also supported by their mothers faith. In any case, the name later came to be used for Judah's brothers as as a family name, as well as to each of the books of "Maccabee. First Maccabees can be divided as follows: Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. And they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled the sanctuary. Note: 1 and 2 Maccabees are not included in most Protestant and Jewish Bibles. We will be talking about events that happened in the second century, which took place in Judea located in the Syrian empire. 1 and 2 Maccabees reflect on this question in slightly different ways. George Leo Haydock. put to shame and fled. The Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes eventually comes to rule over Syria. 1-2 Thessalonians. As the Bible says, "On the eighth day, God created Shmoop and saw that it was good." Or something like that. And they put there a sinful nation, transgressors of the law, and they strengthened themselves therein. The vigorous reaction to this attempt established for a time the religious and political independence of the Jews. And after two full years the king sent a chief collector of tribute to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great multitude. Thus, for example, in 2 Maccabees 12:43 there is Judas act of faith in the resurrection and salvation of his fallen soldiers, but he realizes that they must atone for their sins in the next life, and he wishes to help them in this and asks for prayers from the living. [7][4] He was likely a court historian or equivalent. [20], The Jerusalem Bible divides the book into five sections:[24], The setting of the book is about a century and a half after the conquest of Judea by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, after Alexander's empire had been divided so that Judea had become part of the Greek Seleucid Empire. Luckily, when a skateboard courier called Y.T. Grimm indicates the time span for when the book could have been written to be from 105-64 b.c.e. He bans the observance of the sabbath and the offering of sacrifices at the Temple. Mattathias's son Judas Maccabeus (Judah Maccabee) takes over the revolt and the rebels as a group are called the Maccabees; the book chronicles in detail the successes and setbacks of the rebellion. And he took the spoils of the city, and set it on fire, and pulled down the houses thereof and the walls thereof on every side. Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. Unlike, the writer of 2 Maccabees, he evidences no Pharisaic theology and may have written in order to justify the Maccabeean dynasty against criticism that they were corrupt and were ruling illegitimately as Jewish kings since they were not of the Davidic lineage. The Second Book of the Maccabees. Hardcover; 9780300159936; Published: Tuesday, 26 Apr 2022; $85.00. Several theories have emerged regarding the exclusion of 1 from the Jewish biblical canon. 1 Maccabees 1. They are Jewish people who do not observe the Law. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [35] Simon fortifies Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 13:10) and secures the reoccupation of Joppa (1 Maccabees 13:11), leading the people in peace and prosperity until he is murdered by agents of Ptolemy, son of Abubus, who had been named governor of the region by the Macedonian Greeks. Aristobulus I, the son of John Hyrcanus, was the first to add the title of king to that of chief priest. But they did not belong to the family of those men through whom deliverance was given to Israel. Ptolemy IIs court at Alexandria was famed for its learning. Flavius Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, carries the story forward; only he gives the surname Hasmoneus, which applies to the successors of the early Maccabees up to Aristobulus II. The festival of Hanukkah is instituted (1 Macc. (He had previously become king of Greece.) According to the text, some Jewish men even engaged in foreskin restoration in order to pass as fully Greek. 1 and 2 Maccabees are stories that reflect on oppression and resistance. More wars involving Judas and his brothers Simon and Jonathan are reported in chapters 5, 6 and 7. Jonathan is eventually captured by the Seleucid Greek ruler Diodotus Tryphon. 1:10 And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the Second Maccabees includes a different edition of the first seven chapters of 1 Maccabees and was written at a later date, likely in Alexandria, Egypt. Look out for the similarities and differences between the two. The school of philosophy seen in 1 Maccabees is often thought to be a predecessor to the philosophy of the Sadducees in later eras. VERSE 52. [40] Jews who complain about Judas's activities "bring to the king an accusation against the people". That is, a gymnasium. It runs from the end of the reign of Seleucus IV, the predecessor of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, up to the defeat of Nicanor, shortly before the death of Judas Maccabeusthat is, a period of fifteen years (176-161), which are covered in chapters 1-7 of the first book. Collins 2000 discusses 2, 3, and 4 Maccabees in this study of Jewish identity constructions in the diaspora in the Hellenistic period. the hundred and forty and third year. It is probably a Greek translation of a Hebrew account of Israel's independence struggle between 174 and 134 bc.Similarly little is known about the author of 2 Maccabees, although it is clear that he was not the same person as the author of 1 Maccabees. In foreskin restoration in order to pass as fully Greek form of this text in writing his of! Jewish historian Josephus most likely used some form of this text in writing account. Palestine up to 200 B.C portrayed as a center of athletic and intellectual life king of Greece. the.! 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